Rylee Arnold is an American professional Latin and ballroom dancer who has taken the dance world by storm.
At just 19 years old, she has already made a significant mark as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), where she became the first pro born in the 21st century to reach the finale.
Raised in a Mormon household by her parents, Joshua and Melinda “Mindy” Arnold, Rylee was inspired to pursue dance by watching her eldest sister perform on DWTS.
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 15, Rylee has overcome personal challenges while building an impressive career.
Siblings
Rylee is the youngest of four sisters, all of whom share a passion for dance and a tight-knit bond.
Together, they form the Arnold Sisters—a group known not only for their individual accomplishments but also for their collaborative YouTube channel, The Arnold Sisters, which has over 150,000 subscribers.
The eldest sister, Lindsay, born January 11, 1994, is a professional dancer and choreographer who rose to fame on Dancing with the Stars.
She joined the show in 2013 as one of its youngest pros at age 19 and won the mirrorball trophy in season 25 with partner Jordan Fisher, setting a record for the most perfect scores in a single season.
Lindsay also competed on So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) season 9, finishing in the top eight. She mentored Rylee on Dancing with the Stars: Juniors in 2018 and has been a significant influence on her younger sister’s career.
Lindsay stepped away from DWTS after season 30 to focus on her family with husband Sam Cusick, with whom she has two daughters, Sage (born 2020) and June (born 2023).
The second eldest, Jensen, born October 27, 1997, is another accomplished dancer who finished as the runner-up on So You Think You Can Dance season 15 in 2018.
While she hasn’t joined the DWTS cast as a pro, her competitive dance background has earned her recognition in the dance community.
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Jensen married Topher Hill in 2018, and they welcomed their son, Brooks, in June 2022.
The second youngest, Brynley, born April 25, 2000, is a skilled ballroom dancer who has transitioned into other pursuits.
After a successful competitive dance career, she became a registered nurse and founded nursebryn, a business offering cosmetic injections and infusion therapy.
Brynley married Donny McGinnis in October 2020, and they have two children: daughter Quincy (born August 2022) and son Rez (born May 2024).
Career
Rylee’s dance journey began almost as soon as she could walk, training in various styles with a focus on Latin ballroom.
Her career took off in 2018 when, at age 13, she competed on Dancing with the Stars: Juniors, a spin-off of the main series.
Paired with actor Miles Brown and mentored by Lindsay, Rylee finished as a runner-up, showcasing her natural talent and stage presence.
She was the only pro from the junior series to transition to the main Dancing with the Stars cast after its cancellation.
In 2023, Rylee joined DWTS as a professional dancer for season 32 at age 18, partnered with media personality Harry Jowsey.
The duo placed sixth, sparking romance rumors that they consistently denied.
For season 33, Rylee was paired with Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, and together they reached the finals, finishing fourth on November 26, 2024.
Their contemporary freestyle routine to Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” was widely praised, with TVLine calling it the best dance of the year.
Rylee’s ability to connect with younger audiences through social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok—where she has over 900,000 followers—has been credited with revitalizing DWTS, earning her recognition as a social media consultant among peers.
Before DWTS, Rylee competed nationally as part of a ballroom dance team and placed third at the World DanceSport Championships in Paris in 2014.
After graduating from Timpview High School in May 2023, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her DWTS career full-time.
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